The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-12-28
THE STORY OF PROF. MORSE
An Old, Old Story Repeated by One
Who Knew the Chief Actor.
Morse's Struggles to Obtain Congressional
Aid for the Telegraph-His Growing
Victory of CLAY and Frelinghuysen."

Story of John W. Kirk, told by .H- A. in New
York Times.
II knew Morse" said John W. Kirk, 'sknew
him intimately. and was with him during the
days that were most trying to him. saw him
stretch his first working telegraph line helped
him encounter the rebuffs that made up much
of his experience just before he was finally and
completely successful, and on the day that that
final and complete success came 1 was in his
company still"
Back in the winter OF 1881 Mr.
Kirk taken from Ohio to Washington to
look after bids that he and business associates
had made to carry the mails over stage routes
to the West-as the towns of Pittsburg. Wheel
ing and Cleveland were then described. His
business was not the task of a single day. it had
months of waiting in it. and Mr.. Kirk settled
down in the congressional presence for the sea-
son. The Postofice Department saw good
deal of him before the winter was over. When
you expect big contract you apt to be gra-
cious; and if genial, young, with spare time
your hands-as Mr.. Kinks was forty four
years ago-an odd enterprise isn't likely to
shock your tastes. Thus came Kirk to know
Professor Morse.
John A. Bryan, Second Assistant Postmaster
general at that time, one Of the cleverest
Ohio polite ians Of the day, man of attain
ments in many departments Of learning, but in
clined to all the cautiousness of the keen politi
cal leader, and withal excitable when affairs
were not to his personal liking.
'See here!" he cried one morning. as Mr.. Kirk
entered his Office. ''See here! There's an
abominable scheme to ruin me-ruin me, sir!"
The gentlemans language was a little more
ornamental than the Times's type permits, as
he proceeded to make clear to his friendly caller
that superior officers had plotted to sacrifice him
by putting in his hands the duty of handling the
thirty-thousand dollar appropriation which Con-
gress. in its haste to adjourn at q previous
session, had voted for electric experiments
by Morse. '.To be identified with such foolish
ness" declared this officer, was to commit
political suicide" for, of course the end Of the
whole busin ess would be that Morse would be
recognized as crazy, and men consorting with
him would be looked upon with suspicion, as
the Assistant Postmaster-general seemed to
think, they deserved to be. ''Yor must help me
out of the scrape,' he said to Mr.. Kirk. II want
you to undertake the duty of looking after
Morse. If he puts up wires you zee that it's all
right and I'll pay the bills-only. you see. 1
really can't afford to have any closer connection
with the thing"
Morse had possessed himself of little room in
but active. the new attache OF the Postoffice De-
partment found him, thin, spare, careworn.
anxious man, in the midst of confusing heaps of
wire, and pots. and apparent debris. The worker
paid little heed to his visitor. He was on the
eve of test whereby he hoped to satisfy official
doubters A Congressional committee was on
its way to him and examine in practical
operation the machine which he had promised
would transmit intelligent messages between
points miles apart The line. which started to- !
ward Baltimore. was built about FIVE miles with |
ont the Washington limits, and the "metallic |
circuit" before the day of ground wireal, a.
working order. The committee came. The in /
ventor was 10 high spirit Enthusiasm made I
him almost young man again. The time was |
arrived, he felt, for signal victory. No longer |
would anybody question his claims. Now for
proof not to be gansaid. The statesmen ap
preached his instrument cautiously, as if sus-
pecting that it might suddenly get into ex-
ploding fit. They lifted their feet high and
swiftly over stray lines of wire crossing the floor
fearful of shocks. Their skeptcal countenances
would have driven the original Doubling
Thomas wild with envy. But finally they
side the animated electrician and awaited his
experiments
''Now, gentlemen what shall send over
The wire?" calculated the old man. s'Pick ont
your own message and III show you how simple
his whole thing IS and how it aecomplishes
,verything that I've claimed"
The gentlemen were hardly expecting a chal-
asserted itself, and one of the party proposed
hat this startlingly original information be
dashed along: